My dear and beautiful friend "Dr. Debbie" died this morning, Oct. 11th., just after 3 am. She was a wise and brilliant woman, a compassionate physician, a phenomenal human being who had been diagnosed with Stage 4b Inflammatory Metastatic Breast Cancer a short eighteen months ago.
Very quickly, Debbie became a fierce advocate for education about IBC, and was indeed the "local face" and a significant online presence in the communities of fighters. This "Warrior Princess" accepted every opportunity to teach us what we needed to know.
I was able to fly home from Quebec on Sunday night, as soon as I'd learned she'd made the decision to lay down her sword, to stop fighting.
In July of last year, Debbie married the love of her life, her Jamie.
Jamie's precious gift allowed me to be with Debbie at the hospital.
Jamie, her father Colin and I were with her when she died, at gentle peace, with the same amazing grace and dignity that characterized her entire life.
Please say a prayer for Jamie, her warrior prince, for her son Ryan, for her wonderful family, and for all the families you know who are coping with this dreadful, unpredictable, aggressive disease.
Please educate yourselves.
35 comments:
What a tragedy. How blessed you are to be with her and her prince. I will raise you all up in prayer. She was an amazing woman who was an inspiration to a lot of people. You loved her so and she will always know that.Thank you for sharing her with us.
My prayers are with you and your friend's family.
Hugs,
Beth
Deborah I'm so sorry to hear that your friend has passed, so good that you were able to be at her side.
How sad...Thinking of oyu and your friend's family...
My prayers are with you and her family. I´m so sorry, what tragedy.
hugs and kisses
You are all in my thoughts.
Wishes you all the strength with this great loss. Thinking of you.
Deborah, I'm sorry for your loss and will be keeping you and Jamie's family in my prayers. ((HUGS))
How sad to loose such a dear friend. Thinking of you and Debbie's family...
Oh no Deborah...I am so very sorry to hear this. Dr. Debbie was indeed an incredible woman and warrior, and very blessed to have you as a friend. My heart and prayers go out to you, Jamie, and everyone whose lives were touched by Debbie.
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I will keep her struggle in my heart as I walk those 60 miles in a couple of weeks. We need to keep fighting this terrible disease.
Hugs to you and to her husband.
Teresa
Oh Deb I am so sorry to hear about your friend Debbie. I never met her, but from what you told me about her she was a wonderful, caring, woman full of life who lived it to her best. IBC is such a cruel disease. I know what it did to my mother. When I first saw your announcement I immediately sent an email to all my women friends telling them to please pay attention to the symptoms that are so a-typical of what most women think of breast cancer. I hope that maybe it will make at least one woman take notice of her body and heed the signs, as few as they are.
Love Lesley
Deborah, you've paid a beautiful tribute to your beautiful and talented friend. The fact that you've shared so much of her with us has given us the blessing of knowing and sharing a bit about this wonderful woman. My prayers for comfort go out to you and her beloved Jamie and all of her family and friends.
"Grace & dignity"... seems like just yesterday I was saying the same of my dear friend & cousin Jane who at 50 died with "grace & dignity" with yet another dreadful disease...ALS...
I am praying with you Deborah & my heart goes out you & dr. Debbies family.
I am empty. Nothing in my repertoire could approach the profound joy and positivity that *is* Debbie. We have all lost, but all gained in knowing her. Strength to her family.
I'm so sorry :(
Hearing this makes me feel sick at heart. What an amazing and courageous woman she was, and what a kind and steadfast friend you have been. Sending prayers for Jamie, for you, and for all her friends and family.
Hearing this makes me feel sick at heart. What an amazing and courageous woman she was, and what a kind and steadfast friend you have been. Sending prayers for Jamie, for you, and for all her friends and family.
Deborah, I am so very sorry to read of the passing of Dr. Debbie, our warrior princess. She was such a remarkable woman. My heart breaks for Jamie, her family, and you, her devoted friend. Thank you for introducing Debbie to us and giving us a chance to try to make her difficult jouney a little easier. Who would have know that she was the one who would make it easier for her lovd-ones. My thoughts and prayers are with youand her family.
Deborah, I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your dear friend. She was a true warrior princess and I pray that you and her family will be comforted by the memories that you have of her. Adelle
Remarkable woman, indeed. I see why you and she were such a close friends.
Erin
Deborah, I am saddened to hear of Debbie's passing.
Deborah, I was so sadden by the news of Dr. Debbie's death. I will remember her DH, son, family & friends in my thoughts and prayers. It's so good that you were able to be there with her. What an awesome lady she was.
I was so sorry to hear about this.Sending hugs to you and her family.
What a moving tribute to your friend. Cancer is such a cruel disease. I'm so sorry :(
What a touching story Deborah . I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend .
I am so sorry for your loss. This dreadful disease always takes the best people. My thoughts are with you and your friends family.
This is so sad. You and Debbies's family and friends are in my thoughts.
I remember when Dr. Debbie died last year. It still brings tears to my eyes to read about her. She was a courageous person. Deborah, I've noticed that you've taken every opportunity this year to educate people about this dreadful disease. I know you'll never let your friend be forgotten and that her cause is now yours.
Thank you for all that you do.
Sometimes a year can be a long time or a short time, but when you have lost a love one, there is no time. I will be praying for you, Jamie, and all her friends and family with hopes that her memories will live long and lovingly in all your hearts. We were all blessed to have her in our lives.
Susan
What an incredible friend you are and I am sure that you are still sorrowing over her loss but so glad to see you havent forgotten your friend and her valient fight!!
Deborah your tribute to the loss of your friend, Dr. Debbie is just beautiful. And I know how much you, her family, and friends have missed her. She was such an inspiration to so many. Thanks to you and others she will always be remembered. My prayers are with you all and especially Jamie and their family. I know an anniversary date is so rough for a family to endure. Speaking from experience here..... Such a dreadful disease.... many hugs Peggy
My heart and prayers go out to all of you on the Anniversary of a sad, sad time. I, for one, will never forget Dr. Debbie and am blessed to have "known" her through you Deborah. You are a special friend to once again pay tribute to such an inspiring lady.
Dr Debbie was a good friend to me too. I happened on your site tonight, and wanted to say thank you for having this memorial to her. She held my hand right to the minute almost, on August 29th 2007 (at 3:00 a.m.) when I lost my only daughter Tina to IBC. Then so quickly Dr. Deb was gone too.
We have moved forward, in their name, to educate as many as possible about IBC. And you are helping by keeping Deb's light shinning. Thank you.
Patti Bradfield, President
The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation
www.eraseibc.com
What a lovely tribute to a lovely person, she'd be so proud.
I lost my best friend and sister in law to breast cancer on March 25th this year, and miss her badly. We know they're both at peace now and free from all the suffering.
Sending you hugs.
xx
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